Providence Septemr. 8th 1781

By the Bearer Captain Mattoon I1 have thought proper to inform the Authority in Massachusetts of the Apprehension and detection in Prison of a certain Firmin Woods2 of the Town of Amherst in your State; as also to send forward his relation and Confession made at several times charg159ing sundry Persons in your State with high Crimes and Misdemianours said Woods was apprehended in Providence on the eleventh Day of last August and examined on suspecion of uttering and Passing counterfeit paper bills of the Massachusetts new Emission of the denomination of eight Dollars; two of which he had previously passed in said Town and three others were found on him. He hath had some incouragement of being admitted States Evidence on condition of his being able to give such information as might be thought productive of more public good than his own conviction and suffering. I could wish the Authority in Massachusetts to examine into the severale matters contained in his Relation and if the Evidence of said Woods should be wanted to Convict the Persons by him impeached he is ready to be deliver’d to a proper Officer. I have only to request the earliest information of your proceedings herein and subscribe my self with every sentiment of Esteem Dr. Sir

Yr. Very humble Servt. Paul Mumford C.J. Supr. Ct.

P.S. your future applications respecting the Prisoner might be better made to David Howel Esqr. who resides in Providence where the Prisoner is committed—inclosed are the counterfeit bills found with Wood with those that he had passed as mentioned in this letter. Yr. ut Supra

Paul Mumford

RC ; addressed: “To Robert Treat Pain Esquire Boston.”

1.

Paul Mumford (1734–1805) graduated from Yale (A.B., 1754) and was associate justice (1776–1781) and chief justice (1781–1788) of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. He later served as lieutenant governor of Rhode Island (1803–1805) (James Gregory Mumford, Mumford Memoirs [Boston, 1900], 70).

2.

Firmin Woods served in the Revolution from Amherst in Capt. Josiah Fay’s company (1775) and again in Capt. Reuben Dickinson’s company (1776–1777), which included the trek to Ticonderoga (Mass. Soldiers and Sailors of the Rev. War, 17:843).